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High-voltage cable shielding
Ballast and radiation shielding
Lead exposure occurs during grinding, sanding,
spraying, burning, melting, and soldering. Lead
exposure can also occur during machining,
disassembling engines with leaded gasoline, and
handling contaminated protective clothing.
The greatest hazard comes from lead dust, since we
can easily inhale or ingest the fine particles. Most
ingestion exposures occur when personnel eat or smoke
without washing the lead dust off their hands.
Elements of the Lead Control Program
The Navy’s Lead Control Program includes the
following elements:
Medical surveillance
Worker and supervisor training
Control of lead in the workplace
Environmental protection and waste disposal
procedures
Periodic industrial hygiene surveys to identify
potential hazards from lead sources
Whenever possible, the Navy substitutes lower lead
content or lead-free paints and coating for paints
containing lead. However, many lead-based paints are
still in use in the Navy today. Existing coatings of paint
may contain lead, especially if they are 5 years old or
older.
Medical Surveillance for Lead Workers
Medical surveillance for lead workers consists of a
preplacement medical evaluation, blood-lead level
monitoring, and follow-up evaluations. In addition,
medical surveillance includes removing personnel from
exposure to lead, when necessary, based on blood-lead
levels. Personnel must take part in the program under
the following conditions:
When a work site is found to have an airborne
level of 30 micrograms of lead per cubic meter
of air for over 8 hours
When the workers handle lead at least 30 days
per year
We must teach and warn occasional lead workers
and handlers (those who handle lead less than 30 days
per year) about the hazards of lead.
RADIATION PROTECTION PROGRAM
Radiation is energy transmitted through space in the
form of electromagnetic waves (rays) or nuclear
particles. Radiofrequency radiation, including
microwaves; x-rays; and gamma, infrared, visible light,
and ultraviolet rays are electromagnetic waves. Alpha
particles, beta particles, and neutrons are nuclear
particles.
CATEGORIES OF RADIATION
Radiation is commonly divided into two categories,
which are indicative of the energy of the wave or
particle: ionizing and nonionizing radiation. Radiation
with enough energy to strip electrons from atoms in the
media through which it passes is known as ionizing
radiation. Examples include alpha particles, beta
particles, x-rays, and gamma rays. Less energetic
radiation that is not capable of such electron stripping is
known as nonionizing radiation. Radio waves,
microwaves, visible light, and ultraviolet radiation
belong to this category.
Potentially hazardous sources of ionizing and
nonionizing radiation exist aboard Navy ships. Ionizing
radiation sources include radioactive material and
equipment that generate x-rays. Lasers, radar, and
communications equipment emit nonionizing radiation.
RADIATION PROTECTION
PROGRAM ELEMENTS
The Radiation Protection Program consists of the
following elements:
Training
Medical surveillance
Identification and evaluation of radiation sources
Investigation and reporting of radiation incidents
Use of dosimetry to monitor exposure to ionizing
radiation
OPNAVINST 5100.23C, chapter 22, and OPNAV-
INST 5100.19B, chapter B9, outline the Radiation
Protection Program. This program is designed to
minimize personnel exposure to radiation from sources
other than nuclear weapons and nuclear power systems.
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